Machine for unreeling and spooling typewriter ribbons



Nov. 24, 1925.

E. BURROUGH MACHINE F'QR UNREELING AND SPOOLING TYPEWHITER RIBBONS Filed May 1. 1925 WIT/V1555 BEST AVAlLABLE COPY Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBER BURROUGH, 0F CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY;

MACHINE FOR UNBEELING AND SPOOLING TYPEWRITER RIBBONS.

Application filed May 1, 1925.

.Improveinent in Machines for Unreeling' and Spooling Typewriter Ribbons, of which the followin is a full, clear, and exact description, re erence being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for unreeling ribbon from-a large diameter reel of ribbon onto a spool intended to receive a relatively small length of ribbon, so that a number of spools may be supplied from the same reel. The invention is particularly adapted to the winding of typewriter ribbons onto the spools which are removably attached to typewrit-ing machines. The users of such machines are thus able tobuy large reels of ribbon, and from time to time to transfer, from one of said reels to each of a number of typewriter ribbon spools, the length of ribbon required for each spool.

Specific objects of the invention are: to provide an apparatus of maximum simplicity of construction and operation; to automatically position and hold the reel and the receiving spool in working positions by the mere folding of a two-part frame which is adapted to be held in one hand during the unreeling and spool-winding operation; and to provide simple adjusting means to insure the proper feeding of the ribbon to receiving spools of different constructions.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention, the upper swingable frame being partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of part of the measuring device.

Secured to a block a is a forwardly extending flat bar I) and a rearwardly extending flat bar 0. Secured between the rear end of bar 0 and the central part of a crossbar at is a thin flexible plate '5 carrying a spool-holding pin Opposite ends of crossbar (i are flanged Serial no. 27,135.

and extending between these flanged ends is a shaft e' on which is adapted toswing a crossbar 7 having end flanges through which shaft 6 extends. Secured to crossbar is a forwardly extending plate 9 and flat bar h, whose front end extends, preferably, be yond the front end of bar b. Secured to crossbar f is the rear end of a forwardly extending thin flexible tongue 70, whose forward end is adapted to engage a spool a: on

- the holder 7'. The pressure of the tongue is on spool as may be regulated by a thumb screw 9.

In accordance with the foregoing description, the parts a, 6, 0 and d constitute one frame, and parts 1, g, and it constitute another frame which is in hinged relation to the first frame.

On the spool w is adapted to be held a reel of typewriter ribbon, whose length is multiple (say twelve) times the length of ribbon desirable to be wound on the typewriter spool. I

Block (I. and bar I) afiord a bearing for the shafts of a gear wheel m and a pinion a. On the shaft of gear m is a handle I. On the shaft of pinion n is a disc 0 on which a spool 3 is adapted to be laid. Spool y is the spool which is to be applied to the typewriter.

Secured to the under face of bar it is a block 7) on which is revolubly mounted a cone 0" adapted to extend into the axial hole in spool y and thereby hold the spool on disc 0 and also properly position it thereon.

Secured to the front end of plate 71 is a guide post 5, which may be fixed, or may turn on its axis like a roller. Projecting laterally from block a is a plate 4; in which is turnably mounted an upstanding roller 2.

The operation of the machine, so far as it has been described, is as follows:

The end of the ribbon 2 is unreeled from spool 7' by hand and passed successively about post .9 and roller t and secured to spool g, which is deposited on disc 0. Frame 7, g, 71. has been previously lifted on its rear axis to allow the above manipulation. Frame 7, g, h is now moved into its closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position cone 1" engages spool yand tongue 70 engages spool 00. The operator grasps with one hand the ends of bars I) and h and thereby holds the frames in their closed relation. By turning handle I with the other t s e 5'Qin.

.- not wind properly onfth'e spool.

hand ear m inion s 001 and cone r are the le i th of ribbon z isji'apidly wound on spin) y. '.l:-he ribbon on spool 'y is then severed from the ribbon on the main reel, frame 7, ,7, 72. is lifted, and ribbon 3 removed.

Typewriter ribbon spools are of different constructions,-and"when such different makes of spools are a )plied to disc 0, their ribbonreceivin peri eries willbe at variable (liso llnless, however, the w s' i s trap 12 ii l tir 0i p oky s n J eas ng e g -9W e l h die P a 11 (with; whi the 'edgeofthe ribbon contacts as it feeds-from the reel), the ribbon will provided a, very simple means, for insurin the roper relative positions of plate 13 and spoo, 31, Plate 'i is secured only at its rear end, and is vertically swing'able on its seeu-r'ed endby reason of its inherent flexibility. Sleeved'onthebar c beneath theplatei is a. band it whiclris slida'ble along the bar and has a cam. actionon plate 1' tilting up its free end to progressively greater height-sags the band is moved toward, specia the edge ofplate ban be positioned in such relationship to spool y that the ribbon will approach spool 3 along a plane precisely aligning and tangential with the ribbonreceiving circumference of thespool. When band, or cam uis once properly adjusted for a given make of spool, it may be fixed in its adjusted position.

Plate, c. forms the top of a box w, in the 1 bottom of which, as. well as. in the top, roller t is adapted to turn on its axis. Roller 1,- car ries a worm 10, which engages aworm wheel 11 on a. lateral, shaft, which carries a worm 12, which engages a worm wheel 13 on a vertical shaft, which extends up through plate 1; and. carries a pointer l-lregistering with a dial 15 on the top of plate e. As the ribbon z is uni-eeled from spool :11 and woimd on spool 31, therapid rotation of roller. 1 imparts, through the described reduction gearing, a slow turning movement to the pointer shaft. 'l'here may be, for example, twelve radial marks on the dial, and the gearing ratio may besuch that, for each yard of ribbon that is unreeled, the. pointer will turn from one mark to another, until, after twelve yards of ribbonhave been unreeled (which is the capacity of an ordinary typewriter spool) the pointer will have made a complete ['BVOIU'." tion. Thereby the operator can determine,

without. careful observation of the typewriter spool, and by amere glance at. the indicator, whento. stop the unreeling operation,

Having now fully described, my invention, what, I claim and desire to proteet by Letters latentisx' l, A ribbon unreeling and; spool-Winding machine. comprising two frames, means carried by the two frames to revolubly hold be- I have BEST AVAILABLE COPY tween them a reel of ribbon and a spool to be wound, and mechanism to revolve the spool to be wound, one of said frames being hinged on, and adapted to be swung toward, the other frame to bring them into relation -to so hold said reel and spool.

2. A ribbon unreeling and spool-winding machine comprising two frames, means carried by the two frames to revolubly hold between'thein a-reel of ribbonand a spool to be wound, and mechanism to revolve the spool to be wound, one ofsaid. frames being hin ed n a ap d tobe towar t other frameto bring theni into relation to so. hold said reel andspool, said frames having. p r lo s ti sad p e when t frames are in said closed relationship, to be grasped: by one hand sothat the parts of the. machine may 'be maintainedin operative R lationship while the spool-revolving mechanism is operated by the; other hand.

3. A rib on unr lin nd pednd machine comprising-two frames, reel-supp r iwlmsans a e i erpen ne mean on one fraiiie meehan srnto revolve the spool tobe wound, ribbon guides between the reelrr ins means. an he m erro es means, the. said frames being in hinged relation, and s eel-holding and ositionin means carrie by the second raine an adapted to engage the s ool whenone frame is wu g. t ar the t. e

t, A ribbon unreeling andspool-winding machinemp i ing two f ame pool-supporting means on one frame, mechanism to revolve said spool, the other frame being. hinged on the first frame, a spool holding andpositioning cone freely revoluble on the second frame and adapted to engage thespool when the frames are swung one toward another, and. means on one of the frames to hold-a reel of ribbon, to be unwound.

A ribbon unreeling and spool-wind ing machine comprising a frame, receiving spool-supporting means thereon, a flexible plate mounted thereon and having a free end, a reel holder mounted on said plate, means to rotate the ribbon-receiving spool, the ribbon being adapted. to feed from; the reel to the spool overt-he free edge.of said plate, and means to adjust, the free edge of the plate in order topredetermine the path of travel of the ribbon asit approaches the receiving spool.

G. A ribbon unreeling and spool-winding machine comprising a frame, receiving-spoolsupporting means thereon, a flexible plate mounted thereon and having a free end, a reelholdeumounted on said plate, means to. rotate the ribbon-receiving spool, theiribbon being adapted to: feed from the reel to the spool overfthe free edge of said. plate, said, frame comprising a bar, andv a canrslidable on the bar and adapted to engage the free end of the plate and lift it to different levels.

7. A ribbon unreeling and spool-winding machine comprising two frames, one swingable on the other, means carried by the two frames to revolubly hold between them the spool to be Wound, a reel holder carried by one frame, and a flexible tongue carried by the other frame and adapted, when the frames are swung toward one another, to yieldingly engage the reel holder and hold it in the desired operative position.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand at Philadelphia, Penna, on this 30th day ofApril, 1925.

EBER BURROUGH. 

